Stepladder



Dec. 25, 1951 A, Q, REED 2,580,045

STEPLADDER Filed Jan.l l2, 1948 INVENToR. /lfvc/L K550.

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Patented Dec. 25, 1951 r Y UNI'lE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE Y i Y 2,580,045"

sifriimnoiin Ancilo; rte-er1, Indianapolis.. ind. niicetienaanaryiz, 14f,s'eriai`No. 1,'124

2 claims. (C1. 22h-29):

independently adjustable or swivelly mounted rear bracing legs. g l

It is the purpose of the invention to provide a step ladder of this character, preferably of reinforced metal tubing, wherein 'the rear bracing legs may be adjustably Vlocked in varying positions about a vertical airis as from aninward position adjacent the front legs for storage' and carrying' purposes, to other 'selected supporting positions. The structure is such that the rear legs may be rotated to the usual rearward and lateral bracing positions, or one leg may be positione'd laterallyandinwardly at such angle as to enable the ladder to be supported with its top platform against a wall, in a corner, or upon uneven ground as conditions may require.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective View of a step ladder showing various positions of the bracing legs in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a plan view indicating a selected position of the rear bracing legs.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through the top support and one of the bracing legs.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings there is shown a step ladder having a pair of front supporting legs Il) and Il and a series of steps I2 secured at spaced intervals to said legs in any suitable manner. To the upper end of the supporting legs I, II there is a top platform I3. When the ladder is set up for use in the usual manner, the legs I0, H extend at an angle to the horizontal, whereas the Asteps i2 and platform E3 extend in a horizontal plane. A pair of bracing legs M, I5 have their upper ends secured to the underside of the top platform I3, preferably adjacent the opposite rear corners thereof.

For securing the upper ends of each of the legs M, I5, there is provided an angularly disposed socket member i depending at an angle from the swivel plate I1. Said swivel plate is carried adjacent a thrust plate I8. Surrounding the swivel plate there is provided a ring I9 having an annular inwardly extending portion 20 for conning the swivel plate l1 against the thrust plate while permitting relative rotation thereof. The ring and thrust plate are jointly secured to the underside of the platform I3 by suitable bolts 2|. Such mounting of each of the rear bracing legs is to permit rotation thereof about 'aivertical' axiswhen the platform is in horizontal position. However, by reason of the fixedangular relation of each of said legs through its socket member IBJand rela-tive toth'eswivel plate, saidleg's will at all times extend therefrom at a predetermined angle".V

.The swi'vel plate I'I is provided with an annular. series` of spaced apertures or recesses herein. il*--` lustratedas peripheral notches 22. The inward'-`v ly extending portion 2d of the ring I9fis'apertured.

at23'for receiving a latching pin 2li. Said latch-1 ing pin is arranged to interconnect the swivel' plate with the ring to lock theY supported bracing..

legi'rrfaV selected position when; the.v pinv isex-l` tended into a selected aperture 22. Said pin is: biased upwardly into locking engagement with such selected aperture by a leaf spring 25. having one end secured at 26 to the underside of the top platform adjacent the leg fitting, and with its free end yieldingly pressed under spring tension against the lower end of the latching pin. If desired, a pull chain 21 may be secured to said pin for disengaging it from one of the apertures '22 under tension of said spring.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the bracing legs are mounted independently of each other and while always remaining at the same relative angle to the top platform, they may be independently rotated to different adjusted positions relative to each other and the front supporting legs, depending upon the use to which the ladder may be put. With the bracing legs turned inwardly their lower ends will lie adjacent the front supporting legs for storage purposes or when the ladder is being carried. On the other hand, the legs may be positioned to compensate for an uneven supporting surface. Also, when it is desired to brace the ladder adjacent a wall, both bracing legs may be positioned at approximately a degree angle from the front legs and, therefore, be free from interference with the wall. Similarly, when it is desired to place the ladder against a corner, the far leg may be swung outwardly and the inner leg inwardly to provide an outward bracing of the ladder against the wall with the adjacent bracing leg free from interference therewith. However, it is particularly noted that at all times the bracing legs remain in the same angular relation to the top platform and are securely held against wobble or displacement by reason of the relative extensive area of the fitting 1ncluding the swivel and thrust plates.

Th invention claimed isf l. A step ladder comprising a pair' of front supporting legs joined in spaced relation by a series of steps secured thereto, a top platform secured adjacent its forward corners to the upper ends respectively of said legs, a pair of rear bracing legs, and means for selective angular adjustment of each of said rear legs relative to said front legs and to each other, said means comprising a ring secured to the underside of said platform adjacent each of its rearward corners, said rings each having an inwardly extending annular flange normally spaced from said platform, a swivel plate rotatably mounted between said platform and each of said respective flanges and provided with a series of arcuately spaced apertures, and an angularly extending socket secured to each of said swivel plates for receiving and having rigidly secured thereto the upper end of one of said rear bracing legs to permit free rotation thereof about a vertical axis at a` xed angle thereto, and a latching element movable in and out of latching engagement within said apertures for locking said plate and leg in a selected position.

` 2. A step ladder comprising a pair of front .supporting legs joined in spaced relation by a series of steps secured thereto, a top platform secured adjacent its forward corners to the upper ends respectively of said legs, a pair of rear bracing legs, and means for selective angular adjustment of each of said rear legs relative to said front legs and to each other comprising a thrust plate secured to the underside of said platform Y with one of said apertures and spring means exa ring secured to each of said plates and having tending into engagement with said pins, said spring means comprising a leaf spring having one end secured to the underside of said platform and its free end in engagement with said pins respectively for normally biasing each into latching position.

ANCIL 0. REED.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 527,145 Dempsey Oct. 9, 1894 859,781 Roebuck July 9, 1907 970,560 Samuelson Sept. 20, 1910 2,441,292 Schroeder et al. May 11, 1948 2,465,187 Barrabee Mar. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 304,061 Germany Feb. 22, 1918 

